This short theological tract, Fi Nafi al-Jiha, or On Denying Direction to God, by the Ashari theologian and celebrated Shafi'i jurist, Qadi Ibn Jahbal (d. 733/1333), is a clinical rebuttal of the controversial fatwa, theAqida Hamawiyya, penned by his legendary contemporary, Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328). It is considered, rightly, a classic manifesto of anti-literalism, which will be an indispensable reference for advanced students of Islamic theology, other professional theologians, and modern academics needing primary source materials in English or a source book on the controversies surrounding Ibn Taymiyya's theology.

This same work embodies, moreover, a contemporary exercise in polemic representing the longstanding views in the conformist tradition of Muslim theology, whether via ta'wil or tafwid, and whether in the schools of the Ash'aris, Maturidis or Hanbalis. In particular, it pits itself against one of the two opposite non-conformist readings of the Qur'an and Sunna; and in general, it highlights the pitfalls of a literalistic mindset which plagues all scripturally-based religions.---Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti [Research Fellow in Islamic Theology, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford University]

The learned Dr. Gibril Fouad Haddad merits the rewards of the one who corrects the errors which crept into some minds in the Ummah, reminding them once again of the saving, mainstream discourse of the Ummah in the understanding of the most fundamental matters of the faith, guaranteed by Allah to exist until the end of time. May Allah reward him most abundantly for his enterprise!

His translation of Ibn Jahbal al-Kilabi's al-Raddu 'ala Man Qala bil-Jiha is elegant and accurate, marked by a strong sense of spiritual propriety toward the scholarly personages of the Ummah. The copious notes are illuminating. It will be one of the most important books on this subject for many decades to come, Allah willing. The publisher is to be congratulated for bringing out a work of such sterling scholarly merits. -----Muhammad 'Uthman El-Muhammady, Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), International Islamic University Malaysia.

About the Author: Ibn Jahbal Al-Kilabi

He is Ahmad ibn Muhyî al-Dîn Yahyâ ibn Tâj al-Dîn Ismâ`îl ibn Tâhir ibn Nasr Allâh ibn Jahbal, al-Kilâbî al-Halabî al-Dimashqî al-Shâfi`î al-Ash`arî, known as Ibn Jahbal (670-733h), is described in Imam al-Dhahabî’s Siyar A`lâm al-Nubalâ’ as ‘the erudite scholar, the guiding leader of Muslims’ and in his `Ibar fî Khabari Man `Abar as ‘The mufti of the Muslims.’ He took fiqh from Abû al-Faraj Sharaf al-Dîn al-Maqdisî, al-Sadr ibn al-Wakîl, Ibn al-Naqîb, Muhammad ibn `Umar Sadr al-Dîn ibn al-Murahhal al-`Uthmânî, and hadîth from Abû al-Hasan ibn al-Bukhârî, `Umar ibn `Abd al-Mun`im ibn al-Qawwâs, Ahmad ibn Hibat Allâh ibn `Asâkir, and others. He narrated in Makka, Madîna, al-Qudus, and Damascus He taught in the Salâhiyya School in al-Qudus then moved to Damascus where he assumed the headmastership of Dâr al-Hadîth at al-Zâhiriyya. When the headmaster of the Bâdirâ’iyya School died he replaced him while al-Dhahabî took over Dâr al-Hadîth. He died in Damascus at age sixty-three and was buried in Maqbarat al-Sûfiyya. His older brother, the headmaster of the Atâbakiyya School, vice-governor of Damascus and qâdî of Tripoli, Muhyî al-Dîn Abû al-Fidâ Ismâ`îl ibn Yahyâ (666-740) survived him seven years and was buried next to him.

Al-Dhahabî said of Ibn Jahbal: ‘There was great goodness and pious devotion in him; he possessed excellent traits, great merits, and perspicuity in the ramifications of knowledge.’ Ibn Kathîr named him ‘the Shaykh, the admirable Imâm, the Mufti of the Muslims’ and said: ‘He was among the authoritative fuqahâ’. He took nothing from the Bâdira’iyya nor the Zâhiriyya which he did not already know.’ Ibn al-Kutbî said: ‘He was a scrupulously Godwary `âlim. When he fell sick he spent a great deal in charity, including his clothes.’ After relating the above, Ibn Hajar said: ‘Our Shaykh al-Burhân al-Shâmî narrated to us what he heard from him.’ Ibn Jahbal also taught the historian and hadîth Master `Alam al-Dîn al-Birzâlî and the lexicographer Majd al-Dîn al-Fayrûzâbâdî who read Sahîh Muslim to him in Damascus in three days. Allâh have mercy on him and benefit us and all Muslims with his knowledge. Amîn.---Gibril Fouad al-Haddad.

---Ibn Taymiyya's Life and Teachings,------Al-'Ala'is Summary of Ibn Taymiyya's Deviations,------His Teachers and Students,------Divided Opinions Concerning Him,------Al-Dhahabi's Synopsis of his case,------"He was very learned but lacked intelligence"------The Hanbali's Prohibition Against him giving Fatwa,------The Fatwa Hamawiyya Attributing Direction to Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala,------His several Imprisonments,------His Equivocations under Interrogation,------Al-Tufi's Summary of Ibn-Taymiyya's Deviations,------His Former Admiration of Shaykh Muhiy al-Din ibn 'Arabi,------His Sufi Affiliation with the Qadiri tariqa,------His Innovative Nullification of Triple Divorce,------Ibn Rajab Supports then Rejects His Fatwa on Divorce, ------His Prohibition of Travel to Visit the Holy Prophet,ﷺ,------The Hanbali rejection of this Fatwa,------Shaykh al-Islam al-Subki's Rejection of this Fatwa,------Shaykh al-Islam al-'Iraqi's Rejection of this Fatwa,------Shaykh al-Islam Ibn-Hajar's Rejection of this Fatwa,------Hafiz al-Safadi's Rejection of this Fatwa,------Hafiz al-Qari's Rejection of this Fatwa,------Imam al-Kafaji's Rejection of this Fatwa,------Other Rejections of this Fatwa,------Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Hadi's Fanatic Defense of his teacher,------The Hadith "Whoever Visits my Grave, My Intercession is Guaranteed for Him"------His Last Days and Repentance from His Activities,------His Abandonment by His Former Admirers,------His Revival of Ibn Hazm's Vicious Style,------His Excessive Involvement in Kalam and Philosophy,------Al-Dhahabi's Bayan Zaghl al-'Ilm and His Nasiha to Ibn Taymiyya,------Al-Subki's Summary of Ibn Taymiyya's Deviations in Doctrine,------Al-Haytami's Summary of Ibn Taymiyya's Deviations,------Ibn Taymiyya's Incredulity of Imam Ahmad's Fatwa on Tabarruk with the Prophetic Grave,------His Denial of Tawassul and His Denial of Such Denial,------His Invention of a Post-Conversion Reconversion of al-Ash'ari,------Al-Kawthari's Scathing Exposure of His Anthropomorphism,------Ibn Taymiyya's Denial of the Eternity of Hellfire,------His Invention of a Double or Triple Tawhid,------Al-Tubbani's Refutation of His Multiple Tawhids,------Ibn Taymiyya's Verbose Methodology in Disputation,------His Climbing Down the Pulpit to Illustrate the Divine Descent,------His Appearance,------The Revival of His Teachings by the Wahhabi Movement,------Selected Taymiyyan Heresiographical Literature,------Al-Nabhani's Verdict on Ibn Taymiyya.

Shaykh Wahbi Sulayman Ghawji's Introduction,----The Salaf, the Khalaf, Ta'wil and the Correction of Errors in 'Aqida,------The Salaf,------The Khalaf,------Ta'wil,------Preconditions for Accepting Ta'wil,------The Later Need for Ta'wil According to Ahl al-Sunna,------Ta'wil Does not Mean Negation of the Attributes,------Putting to Rest Certain Insinuations and Warning of Certain Scholarly Errors That Pertain to Doctrine.

Ibn Jahbal : Refutation of Him Who Attributes Direction to Allah,------Chain of Transmission for this Book,

---Author's Introduction,------The Hashwiyya or Vulgar Anthropomorphists,------Malik and Shafi'i Understanding of Tawhid,------The Ash'aris are Closer to the Salaf Than the Hashwiyya,------The Doctrine of Ahl al-Sunna,------The Requisites of Transcendence (Waza'if al-Taqdis),

---Refutation of Ibn Taymiyya's Claims,----Preliminaries,

---Chapter [1]. The Fallacy of His "Proofs from the Qur'an" and the Hashwiyya's Self-Contradictions,---Chapter [2]. The Fallacy of His "Proofs from the Sunna"---Chapter [3]. Parenthesis : His Understanding of the Withness (ma'iyya) and the Height of Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala,---Chapter [4]. His Peculiar Understanding of "with," "in," "above," and "on"---Chapter [5]. His Understanding of the Heaven to Mean "the Height"---Chapter [6]. His Rhetoric Against the Mutakallimun,---Chapter [7]. The Absurdity of His Literalism,---Chapter [8]. His Calumnies Against the Sunni Theologians,---Chapter [9]. His Attribution of Unbelief and Heresy to the Ulema,---Chapter [10]. His Unreliable Manner of Quoting the Salaf,---Chapter [11]. [Imam al-Ghazali's] Ethics of Tawhid,-------------Upholding Divine Transcendence,-------------Belief and Confirmation,-------------Admission of Incapacity,-------------Keeping Silent,-------------Refraining from Paraphrasing,-------------Ceasing Cogitation,-------------Believing Firmly in the Knowledge of the Prophet,ﷺ,---Chapter [12]. Kalam Dialectic in the Qur'an and the Rejection of Imitation,---Chapter [13]. Warnings of the Great Sufi Shaykhs against Literalism,---Chapter [14]. Leave Qur'anic Exegesis to its Experts,---Chapter [15]. Qur'anic Proofs Negating Direction,---Chapter [16]. Qur'an and Sunna Yield,-------------No Evidence for Anthropomorphists.